


Hellfire

by taichara



Category: Legion of Super-Heroes (Comics)
Genre: Batch SW6, Gen, Legionnaires - Freeform, New Earth, v4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-18
Updated: 2014-10-18
Packaged: 2018-02-21 16:47:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2475332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taichara/pseuds/taichara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The people of New Earth are still trying to pick up the pieces after the planet's destruction; even with the aid of the Legionnaires, it's been rough going, between the hijacking of desperately-needed convoys, the need for reconstruction, and the lingering aftereffects of the Dominator control of Earthgov.  </p>
<p>When people are placed under stress, they tend to lash out -- and when one of the Legionnaires is the young image of a man seen as having sold out the people of Earth to the Dominion forces, he makes a convenient scapegoat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hellfire

_Damn them!_

St. Maixent's mask of amicability shattered like flawed glassteel the moment the Science Police – not his own treasured, trusted officers but the dogs of Earthgov's President, that tool of the United Planets – the wretched, presumptuous Science Police were finally, finally ushered out of his office. Lothar St. Maixent governed this city dome. Not the SP, and most certainly not that upstart "President" Stewart.

How dare they. How very dare they presume to tell him – to _command_ him! – to give up the security of his people, the long-suffering people of Paris, that the wretched aliens that caused the destruction of peace and prosperity and the very Earth itself could continue to feed off of humanity's corpse. 

_And damn Grimbor, that fool, for overplaying our hand. Chains, Grimbor, across the lock portal? Really? Did you think that no one would notice? To say nothing of how our people still required access to the other cities ... honestly._

_That was a mistake I will not make again. Grimbor was too volatile, even if his loyalty was a pleasant change._

Muttering another string of curses, St. Maixent threw himself into the plush embrace of his desk suite, glowering at the blank blackness of the holoemitter. He ignored his dim reflection's warped resemblance to a rumpled lion and dragged his attention back to matters of more importance. Paris had been invaded, her stability challenged and her resources potentially threatened ...

_Now the xenophiles and their allies – including the damned Legionnaires – have no doubt decided to 'investigate', whether or not they violate our sovereign rights as the last bastion of French –_

His thoughts were shattered by the emitter flaring to life. St. Maixent bit back another torrent of cursing and smoothly schooled his expression back into his mask of faintly amused neutrality as, with fits and starts, the transmission resolved itself into the image of his occasional collaborator and so-called "benefactor". It was just as well that he had practice in controlling his expression; his caller's ravaged face was hideous to behold.

_[I've heard you've gotten yourself into a bit of, heh, trouble, Lothar.]_

"Nothing that I, and the people of Paris, have not been able to dispatch handily. I have, it's true, been forced to dismiss a handworking and loyal aide, but such small sorrows are an all-too-familiar crisis in these times ..."

_[Dismissed at the end of an SP shock stick, you mean. Heh. A wise choice, sacrificing Grimbor for your own hide, he was outliving his usefulness if the newsfeeds are any indication.]_

"As you say."

St. Maixent was not about to admit to mistakes, not even now. His short, clipped response was nonetheless more than enough to send his caller into fits of wheezing, mocking laughter; laughter that he endured as one of the many small costs of dealing with the petty, small-minded businessman. At least he was human, wretched as he was.

"So, then, is there a reason for this social call, or are were simply indulging ourselves in sharing news of events we're both, clearly, well aware of already?"

The look of bitter anger across those withered features made the spectacle on the holo even worse.

_[As a matter of fact, there is. I don't make a habit of pointless frivolities.]_

_[Suppose I offered you a weapon, a – heh – living weapon, that would dispatch the aliens, undermine your rivals in that liferaft you call New Earth, destabilize faith in the current regime and those miserable brightly-coloured little vermin that call themselves Legionnaires, and add a little bit of sabotage to whatever gets past the lovely ladies currently helping us with our little embargo? What would you say to that, Lothar?]_

"I would say that that sounds too good to be true. How would you propose one weapon, alive or not, that could do all of these things at once?"

_[Because psychological warfare, dear Lothar, can be the most effective warfare, and somehow I suspect the good people of New Earth haven't, heh, forgotten who sold them out to the Dominators no matter how the feeds are trying to apply spin.]_

_[Because I'm feeling, heh, generous, feel free to indulge in an overview of my offer. I think you'll find him more than adequate for the approach I just outlined.]_

The lower right of the holo unfolded into a image and a steadily-scrolling feed of data, an inmate's record of some kind. It took a moment before St. Maixent realized he was looking at records from the late, lamented Labyrinth; then another, before a slow smile began to spread across his face.

"Perhaps ... perhaps, yes. Provided of course that you have access to this individual –"

_[Of course I do, heh. I work in tangibilities, not wishes.]_

"– and with that access, can also assure the city of Paris that he can and will be kept under control."

_[Suggesting otherwise would be, heh, poor business practice. No, he'll go where he's pointed; I don't have any interest in dealing with free agents that are actually free at this point in time.]_

St. Maixent allowed his smile to take a mocking edge, but, magnamiously, he chose not to take the obvious opening. There were more important concerns at the moment, after all.

"So, my friend, what will you be asking in return for this new weapon and all that you claim he should be capable of? Somehow I doubt that this is a gift offered from the goodness of your heart; I would be disappointed if it were, if I am honest."

There was a hollow cough, clearly meant as a chuckle.

_[Nothing that we haven't discussed before, Lothar. You keep up your end of our little economic bargain, and when you've consolidated your position you offer me certain, heh, concessions. No more, no less.]_

"Then I declare this exchange at an end, once you've sent to me the necessary little details of this ... mm, new shipment."

_[Oh, of course, heh. There's no sense shipping a new pet without instructions about its care and feeding, isn't that right? And of course I'll be wanting him back when you're finished with him. Rarities like him can be hard to come by.]_

-*-

"... So this batch of pirates actually went for the low-tech route. That's damned clever of them, really; I almost feel guilty for being impressed, but I'm impressed.

"What I'd like to know, mind you, is just why New Earth is clearly being targeted for these raids. We're not exactly the centre of the United Planets any longer, and on top of that there are bigger skyfish to fry than these supply shipments. So why us?"

Troy Stewart, former member of the Legion of Super-Heroes and current President of New Earth, was not a happy camper. Never mind the continuing shortages of food and necessities (every time he arranged to make up a deficit, three more seemed to spring out of nowhere); never mind the constant worry over the basic integrity of the creaking, ancient framework that held the fragile dome cities together and in one piece.

No, all of those annoyances paled in comparison to the incessant, if understandable, uptick in demonstrations – riots, even! – as the people of New Earth found themselves under duress yet again. Troy couldn't argue with the their distress and anxieties, either, which made the entire mess even more annoying.

_Well, it can all wait for a few minutes._

Or at least until the brightly coloured quartet in front of his desk finished their report. Right that moment Cosmic Boy cleared his throat tentatively; Troy nodded absently for him to proceed, musing as he did so that if it were up to him, Cos would still be on the invalid roster –

"Mister President, I can't help but think that this time the raiders weren't planning to actually go that far with the pilfered grain."

Kid Quantum stepped up to stand with Cosmic Boy, placing a hand on Cos' shoulder (and wasn't that interesting, mused the President) before nodding his agreement with his team leader.

"I feel I agree with Cos. Hiding the grain within the hull layers of their ships was a clever ruse, but there would be far too great a chance of discovery or, worse, loss during a voyage of any lengthy duration. Those ships were not intending to leave Earthspace, or perhaps no further than Mars."

"I see. Any further thoughts, Apparition, Inferno ...?"

Apparition shrugged off the question with a smile.

"I found the grain, I figure that's enough. Probably they weren't headed for the Buffer, though, now that I think about it; even if they had the tech, they'd probably get spotted as soon as someone crossed through a ship. So we can probably eliminate that avenue."

"Fair. Inferno?"

"Huh?"

Grinning, Apparition waved a hand in front of his face.

"Hello in there space cadet ~"

"Sprock off, Tinya. I'm trying to think ..."

Cos and James exchanged significant looks; Mister President, torn between mild curiosity and major aggravation, started windmilling his hand for Inferno to get a move on. All were ignored as Dirk made a point to drag out the wait for his response an extra few minutes just to goad them.

"Okay. Obviously the ships weren't going far – I think you're right there, Cos, Kid – and I think whoever's been backing them, if they're being backed, is pulling back because filling the hull with what you're stealing, or smuggling, is nowhere near the tech level the last crew were using. So there's that.

"I think the obvious answer, or probably the obvious theory since I can't exactly prove this, is that the ships weren't actually going anywhere. They were either going to try to sneak into another berth – pretty unlikely, since New Earth doesn't have many spaceport locks yet – or they were planning to trade off the cargo to another inbound ship. So, we go looking for likely ships that're parked in out of the way locations in Earth-local space ..."

It wasn't a bad notion. Troy nodded, hands folded on his desktop. Not a bad notion at all; he'd have to pass it along to the UP Representative the moment he caught a chance to breathe.

"Not a bad theory, Inferno. Okay, folks, I have your written reports to go over and a half-dozen depositions from the SP to deal with, we're going to run out of jail space at this rate. Get yourselves gone.

"You did a good job, Legionnaires. Thank you."

"Anytime, sir. That's what we're here for."

With Cosmic Boy's cheerful farewell, the four turned to make their way out to the Capitol Plaza.

-*-

St. Maixent paced slowly around his new 'acquisition', taking in all the details and noting to himself the barely-contained fury in the burning eyes as his movements were tracked. A very rare specimen indeed; his smirking collaborator had not exaggerated. All the better to provoke the rabble of New Earth to turn against that insufferable Legionnaire.

Coming to a stop dead centre in front of the man, he held up what looked like an unusually thick Omnicom. The eyes blazed, and he smiled benignly.

"I see you understand what this is."

"... You pathetic –*"

One stroke of a finger on the Omnicom's input and the man was down and writhing in agony. 

Excellent.

"Now, now. This will go the better for you if you cooperate, you realize. Now, this is what you'll be doing for me – I think you'll find that it's something you may well enjoy ..."

-*-

"Freaking _nass_ when did this start –?!"

Apparition backpedaled until she collided with Kid Quantum, barely two steps out the front doors of the Capitol.

The entire Plaza was packed with people – people who were barely obeying the SP's strident calls for order. Yelling, waving, sign-wielding, refuse-throwing people who were Very Angry about something – and that something was hunger, was deprivation and panic and the spectre of the crushing despair that was life under the former regime.

The memory of the Acapulco riot was fresh in Cos' mind; this looked like more of the same ...

"Legionnaires, we definitely have a situation here."

"No kidding, Cos."

Inferno was half sarcastic, half concerned; Cosmic Boy ignored him anyway, in favour of opening a comm channel via flight ring. It was more important to warn the President (if he hadn't already heard), contact Headquarters, get some kind of plan together –

_[Cosmic Boy to President Stewart: There's a Situation developing right on your doorstep, sir, a food demonstration bordering on a riot. SP are here already; what would you like us to do?]_

_[Steer clear if you can, let the SP handle them if they get rowdy. Don't think I don't know what happened the last time you stepped in!]_

Troy's voice softened.

_[Speak with the crowds if you think it'll help, Legionnaires, but don't put yourselves at risk.]_

_[Understood, sir. Thanks again.]_

Squaring his shoulders, Cos turned to his teammates. Apparition looked fiery; Kid Quantum dismayed and a little resigned, Inferno surprisingly grim. Well, it was better than Livewire's angry outbursts anyway.

"Let's get going, Legionnaires, these people are unhappy and we need to defuse the situation."

"If we can –"

Apparition's dubiousness was promptly, and unhappily, underscored by a chunk of trash – a broken Omnicom – hurled towards her head by an especially vocal protestor. The projectile missed, flying wild, but it was enough to prompt her to phase out instinctively.

"And I'm feeling kinda doubtful here, Cos –"

There wasn't much to do but nod at her and try anyway. Legionnaires didn't quit when people needed them, even if the people in question didn't realize what they needed. They could get hurt, and that needed to be avoided ... 

_This crowd's as ready to explode as Acapulco was. I don't know how much we can actually ... what the sprock is James doing?_

Calmly, with an air of conciliatory patience, Kid Quantum had stepped closer to the milling, yelling crowds, hands open and held wide.

"Please, everyone, we understand your concerns. We want to listen to you; we want to help you, if we can. But that will be very much harder if your demonstration begins to get out of hand ...

"Won't you tell me, tell us, what it is you're here for?"

A thousand roars answered him, angry and demanding; howls of WHY ARE WE BEING LEFT TO ROT and WHERE'S FOOD FOR OUR KIDS and WHY ISN'T THE PRESIDENT DOING ANYTHING and a hundred, a thousand other desperate accusations came crashing down as the crowd, spurred by sudden mass bravery, pressed closer to the four bright spots that were the Legionnaires. A squad of Science Police seemed to sprout out of nowhere, force projectors at the ready, almost boxing the Legionnaires in as much as they were protecting them from the increasingly-unruly protestors. Apparition ignored their efforts, gling right past them in phantom form, even while Cosmic Boy shook his head and tried to squeeze past the armour-clad officers.

"This isn't helping, you know –"

"That's right! You SP fraggers are protecting the pretty shiny Legionnaires from us – from the truth! I don't see them waiting and wondering where their next meal is going to come from!"

_Oh nass it is Acapulco all over again ..._

Blanching, Cosmic Boy faltered; Inferno, right behind him, caught his moment of hesitation (a flashback? who could blame him if it was?) and promptly yanked his fearless leader back and out of sight, practically tossing him into a startled Kid Quantum's arms –

_You can thank me later, James ~_

– and shouldered his way through the SP barricade, planting himself squarely in front of the crowd and that one loud-mouthed heckler. He crossed his arms but kept his posture otherwise casual; no need to look tough or cocky here.

_These people are stirring up trouble because they're scared. Keep that in mind, Dirk; it's because they're scared. You can't calm down scared people by being an ass._

_Okay, I can do this._

"We know that there's been shortages, folks. We've been doing our best to get to the bottom of the worst of them – on top of the expected shortages, and by the way there's still relief convoys en route from Winath as we speak, we Legionnaires and the Science Police have been tangling with waves of raiders targeting the supply ships. Check out the feeds this evening – we four _literally_ just got back from busting another smuggling convoy. Supplies're getting hijacked, but we're getting them back for you. It's just making the wait a little longer."

"Inferno's right, folks. There's people out there trying to take what you need, and _we're_ going to keep on stopping them."

Solid once again, Apparation took up a spot on Inferno's right, head held high.

"You can trust us, guys. You can believe in us."

The front ranks stopped yelling; now they were mostly muttering to each other, as the crowd digested this unexpected and sudden explanation. It didn't matter why they were starting to quiet down as long as they did, as far as Apparition was concerned ...

"Why should we believe _him_?"

It was one voice in the proverbial wilderness; but one voice was all it took as the entire demeanour of the crowd turned all at once. A sea of accusing faces stared back at them, stared death at the startled Inferno. And then the accuser stepped forward; battered and scarred, twitching at every extended contact with her fellow protestors, she was clearly a survivor of Metropolis' Dominator occupation.

"Why should we believe a word that comes out of _your_ mouth, you filthy Earth traitor? You sold us out! You sold the entire planet out so you could sit pretty and keep on being the same spoiled brat you always were while we suffered and died!

"Did you really think we were believing your lies? That those damned aliens weren't sucking the sprocking life out of us while we were rotting in the slums they turned our world into? _Answer me you hypocritical bastard_ –"

Inferno was a statue, face bleached bone white, eyes like blue stars in two black pits, hands clenching into fists. He ignored Apparition pulling on his arm, ignored Cos behind him as he told him to stand down and back away, ignored Kid's suggestion that a stasis field might be called for, ignored the SPs closing in ...

"I didn't do that! I didn't do _any_ of that! That _wasn't me!_ "

The woman spat at him. Her fellow protestors were taking up her cause, jeering and demanding answers.

"No? You're _not_ Dirk Morgna, then?"

"Yes, I'm Dir–"

"Then it was you, and you'll do it again if we let you!"

She was suddenly joined by a second wild-eyed protestor, just as battered, just as haunted – and, Inferno realized with horrified recognition, this one was one of the men from Paris –

" _He already is!_ He's in league with the Dominators! I know, I was there, I SAW HIM, he SAVED ONE FROM US – he's going to turn on us all! He's working with a fake government and the Dominators are _already here again_ –!"

The crowd surged at Inferno with the roar of a maddened mob. Instinctively he ignited in a corona of flames even as Kid was damping the closest rioters in stasis – then, with a cry of horror at the accusations, at his own actions, Inferno was bolting into the sky before anyone could stop him.

-*-

There was a time when being part of a "cleanup crew" – those benighted folks who maintained the waste systems, the tunnels, the alleys, the dirty underbelly of the Earth's shining urban sprawl – was a menial job, a demeaning one, something relegated to criminals or those eccentrics who saw volunteering for that sort of work as a kind of community service. That time was long since passed; now the cleanup crews were simultaneously a desperatedly needed service and one growing steadily in prestige. They were also jealous of their work and their workplaces, because you never knew what you might find in the refuse and the wreckage that could be recycled or sold or both.

Tokyo Dome was no different in this belief, which was why a team of cleaners were systematically making their way through the undertunnels, checking on the ancient rusty piping, checking the pressure in the water reservoirs, and picking off the verms and crawlies that happened to cross their path before the critters made their way topside. Rei had already found a pair of Omnicoms and a transceiver hidden away under some refuse; who knew what else they might come across?

"Hey, Rei, Ken, come look at this ..."

Hirak, the team's junior third, had stopped to peer down a side branch. Ken padded over, gave the Talokian youth a friendly clout on the shoulder.

"What's up, Hiri? Something up down there? I can't see a thing, Human eyes and all ..."

"Yeah, I think there's something down there. Looks like big lumps or bundles, could be refugees? We should probably go take a look, I figure?"

"Yeah, we should, refugees need to get sorted out. They can't stay down here. Rei! Bring the spotlight over, will you?"

"On my way."

With a shake of her head – not more hideaways, they were always so paranoid – Rei powered up the spotlight and hefted it to her shoulder. Crossing the diagonal in three swift strides she brought the harsh light to bear on Hirak's side tunnel.

"OHMYGAWN –"

They might have been people, once. Now they were nothing but char and bones.

-*-

"Inferno! Damnit, Dirk, open the door already! Open it, damn you!"

Nothing. Not that Computo was surprised, given that she'd already bruised her hand pounding on that selfsame door – and Inferno, the clever bastard, had disabled the lock panel from the inside, which kept her from simply ordering the door to open.

_I don't have time for this kind of idiocy. Nass, we don't have time for this._

"Dirk –!"

At least Inferno had come back at all, she reminded herself. He'd led Cos and the others on a wild chase through half of Metropolis – nearly causing a mid-air collision at least twice – before disappearing into a nest of alleys and half-demolished buildings. Sure, he'd turned up at HQ not long afterwards, but all he'd done since then was barricade himself in his quarters. Which was not at _all_ helpful.

"He's still not answering?"

The resigned tone in Saturn Girl's voice as she came into sight around the corridor's curve spoke volumes. Hands on hips (gingerly), Computo shook her head once with a snort of irritation at Inferno's continued obstinacy.

"Not even remotely. He's got the lock pulled too. Now, I suppose I could pull an 'angry co-leader' and just order the door hauled open whether he likes it or not, but ..."

She sighed.

"... But I know he's upset and I don't exactly feel like being that much a jerk. But he can't hide in there forever, and after that stunt in the Plaza ..."

"Let me try?"

A tap of a fingertip against one temple was a clear indication of just what Saturn Girl meant by 'trying'; Computo didn't bother to hide an evil little smile. She stepped aside with a sweeping little bow – not that it was necessary – and smiled wider, in fact.

"Be my guest –"

"Thanks, Computo."

_~Dirk?~_

The response was immediate and outraged.

_Get out of my head, Imra, I didn't say you could do this to me. Get out now._

_~Be reasonable. I'm not even surface scanning and you know it. Now, come on, Dirk, you know you can't stay in there forever ... suppose you tell me why you're in there in the first place?~_

A flash of anger, and – fear? Yes, it was fear. And guilt. That could be good or bad; pursing her lips a little, Saturn Girl braced for the worst and nudged Inferno again.

_~Dirk, come on ...~_

_A guy's not allowed to be miserable in his own room any more? Who decided to sic you on me, anyway? Was it Cos?_

_~I'm here because of me.~_

_... You want to talk to a screwup, Imra? Yeah, right, try the other one, it's smuggling Silverale._

_~No, if I want to talk to a screwup I'll go talk to Garth. What makes you think you're a screwup, Dirk?~_

_Isn't it obvious? I freaked at a mob of protestors and nearly immolated them._

_~From what I heard you had reason to get upset, and you left as soon as you realized what you were doing. It's the taking off afterwards that needs to get talked about and, honestly, I'd be surprised if you pulled more than monitor duty given the situation –~_

The door flew open. On the other side stood Inferno in undershirt and trunks, eyes like two dark pits. Imra took a step back, as much by reflex as in surprise, which gave Computo all the opening she needed.

"Come on, Sunshine, make yourself presentable and go report to the Monitor Room. You've got monitor duty for the next two days."

Seeing him flinch, Computo offered him a lopsided smile.

"It's more to keep Earthgov and the SP happy, if it helps. Cos wouldn't even bother with that much given the circumstances but you know how it is, keeping up appearances in an impending crisis blah blah blah."

"Fine.   
“... Thanks."

-*-

Melbourne's dome was smudged with black coils of smoke as sirens wailed in an eerie echo of the frantic, despairing screams that rang throughout the city's fragile spacedock. Because Melbourne, you see, had gotten its desperately needed shipments through – and now those shipments were burning to the ground.

Walls of flame like dancing waves of orange and blood-yellow raced through the streets, groped towards the dome above like grasping fingers, engulfed the warehouses and the very ships that filled them despite the best efforts of Melbourne's labouring safety teams to control the blaze. The call went out to the Legionnaires; between them, Dragonmage, Gossamer and Alchemist teamed with the safety crews finally doused the flames.

The most disturbing part of the witnesses' reports was the description of a flame-engulfed figure who walked through the already smouldering warehouses and urged the fires higher –

-*-

After the chaos and panic of the last few weeks, it was nice, if anyone were to ask Andromeda's opinion on the matter, to be doing something that was actually _helping_ someone. Oh, sure, chasing Khund ships was never going to be a done thing, and that entire sprocking mess in Paris need to get dealt with (and didn't she wish she'd been _there_ ), and that poor kid that caused the brainstorms was going to be getting the help he needed which was frankly awesome, but it still wasn't helping directly.

_And this's about as directly as anyone's going to get!_

Sure, it meant playing strongarm (along with Leviathan and Ferro) to get the shipping crates straight from the ships to Acapulco's central square where the others were waiting, but who cared about that? It was a better use for Daxamite strength than ripping through walls and juggling asteroids right now –

A small twinge prickled at Andromeda's heartstrings for a moment as she thought of how much Valor would have loved to be right there beside her.

_We'll find you, Lar, I promise._

– and she was landing in the square again, setting the massive titanialloy crate down as if it were a feather and hauling the hatch open. Predictably the crowds started to press as soon as the hatch released, but Brainiac 5 had them well in hand – force shields could be used to gently nudge away people as much as block their way – before the SP squad even started to move into position. He was looking surprisingly unflappable considering the crush, but that was just one of the things she loved about him.

"Holding up over there, Brainy?"

"I've only needed to remind them to remain calm a few times, Laurel, so I think I'll consider this a great improvement. I'd also say that your return being our fourth collective delivery is likely to be taking the edge off of any urgency."

"Well I'd hope so! There's at least another eight after this one, too, so no one's going to be running out of chances any time soon."

"Alright, alright, you two lovebirds need to either move out of the way or pick up another Omnicom and wade in –"

Friendly teasing was erased by stunned shock as the SP officer stopped dead, hand clamped to her headset. Brainiac 5 exchanged concerned glances with Andromeda; before they could ask, Officer DeRosa was waving half her squad into their hovercars and away as fast as the things could fly. What in the world ...?

She was already turning towards them, expression bleak, before the question could even be asked.

"Another supply convoy just got torched, Legionnaires, this time in Venice. We're on top of the situation this time, thank gawn, but it was a very close thing. Too close. Three shipping units were still destroyed."

Again with the fires. It just didn't make any sense. Shaking her head – even though denial was hardly going to make it stop – Andromeda clenched her fists, railing against whatever lunatic or lunatics were behind the blazes.

_The pirates are bad enough, but at least we can get those shipments back! Mother-god, people need this food!_

"It's your Legionnaire that's behind all this!"

A rough, insistent tugging on her elbow, an angry, strained voice at her shoulder; one of the people waiting for the supply distribution, his face showing strain and lack of sleep. Andromeda took one deep breath and turned to face the man squarely, waving away Brainy. It's not like the man could hurt her; not physically anyway.

"We Legionnaires wouldn't do anything of the sort, and we'd appreciate it if you didn't spread that kind of rumour around."

He wasn't convinced.

"Who else is gonna be setting fires – taking our food and clothing and gawn knows what else – and burning people to death? He knows he got found out after Metropolis!"

"Now, you listen –"

"No, Laurel, wait. Let me."

Brainy padded up next to her, an Omnicom in hand – he was still working on distribution efficiency – but his attention on the agitated man. With his free hand he signaled unobtrusively to the SP officer who'd been talking to them, just in case the conversation turned ugly.

"Sir, I can assure you that Inferno, the Legionnaire you're no doubt referring to, is still and has been inside Legionnaires Headquarters, as he's been assigned monitor duty. Would you like it if I were to confirm that for you?"

Belligerent, the man crossed his arms.

"Yeah. Do that, Coluan."

Ignoring the comment – the insult? – on his species, Brainiac 5 shrugged and opened a video channel on his Omnicom, the slim pad's screen promply filling with the image of a distinctly bored Inferno.

_[Inferno here. What can I do for you, Brainy?]_

"I'm merely demonstrating to this gentleman present with me that you're in the Monitor Room. Nothing to be concerned about."

As he spoke, Brainy tilted the Omnicom so the man could see the screen; as belligerent as he was, but unable (or unwilling) to argue further, the man waved off the evidence and started to stalk away.

"Okay, he's there. Now. But that doesn't explain the people burned and I know about that –"

_[Brainy, what the sprock is that idiot talking about?]_

A glance from the Omnicom, to Andromeda, to the SP officer – who was beginning to get that certain look of resignation – told Brainiac 5 all he needed to know, and he flicked his attention back to the thin screen.

"That, Inferno, I suspect we will all be learning very, very shortly."

"Sooner than you think, Brainiac 5. I was supposed to be saving this until we – and you – finished off the relief distributions but since it's come up ..."

The officer shrugged, and Brainiac 5 leveled a gimlet stare at her. Something was not adding up and it didn't take a twelfth-level intelligence to figure out what it was, but he gestured for her to continue nonetheless. Beside him, Andromeda kept one eye on the belligerent, the other on the confused, milling crowds, and signalled the others to keep the crates moving; once again Brainy was grateful for her foresight as he waited for the SP's response.

It wasn't long in coming.

"Since it's come up, Legionnaire, I'll give you the holo now: Chief Erin is calling for a top-level meeting with the Legionnaires effective as soon as it can be arranged. There've been some ... incidents that the Chief needs to speak to you about. That's all I can tell you at the moment."

A significant glance at the milling crowds underscored the officer's warning tone. Fair; Brainiac 5 nodded. But before he could contact HQ Andromeda closed a hand over his, preventing him from opening a commlink. Startled, he blinked owlishly up at her.

"Laurel ...?"

"Hang on a tic, Brainy. Officer DeRosa, if Chief Erin wants to meet with a Legionnaire rep, why didn't he contact HQ with the request to begin with?"

DeRosa gestured, wryly, at Brainiac 5's Omnicom.

"Because the Chief knows who's manning your monitors today."

-*-

The flames leapt in time with his heart, roared with his laughter and the screams of the pathetic fools who had dared – had dared! – to try to stop him from walking away. Fine, then; if they wanted so badly to die, he'd gladly indulge them.

The flames roared, flesh crisped, the screaming sheep choked and died –

– and the command, wordless and implacable, to flee and hide echoed through his skull and brought him up short, barely managing to spit a curse before control was lost and he was that fool's toy once again.

A human brand before he doused his fires, he was now just another running body in the mob beyond his alleyway –

-*-

"You're just in time, Legionnaires; I have even more bad news for you."

Sean Erin, Chief of SP New Earth, had seen a hell of a lot; had been through a hell of a lot. Be that as it may, he was not looking forward to breaking this particular news to the puzzled, concerned young faces he was gesturing to the seats in front of his desk. Computo, Saturn Girl and Invisible Kid exchanged glances, but took the unspoken suggestion and sat, waiting. The Chief cleared his throat.

"Of course, you're well aware of the outbreaks of arson in the last day. I don't have to detail those to you. We've got another, and in my opinion related, situation – and the latest incident literally flashed into my office as you walked in. Look at these, if you would."

One wall lit up with holoscreens; holoscreens that displayed scenes of gruesome death. Multiple deaths. All were united by one feature – all were charred nearly to nothing. The Chief took in the blanched expressions and convulsive swallowing and, nodding as if to himself, wiped the screens.

"Three instances of multiple murder by incineration, the most recently reported from the Moscow Dome, the others from Tokyo and London, two of the three in close proximity to cases of cargo arson."

Invisible Kid shook his head, then pinched the bridge of his nose, whuffed air towards his wayward bangs and leaned forward in his seat.

"We're already looking into the arson cases, Chief; are we adding the murders to our end of the investigations, then?"

He'd barely finished the question before Saturn Girl, pinched-faced and clearly dreading what she was about to say, broke into the conversation before Erin could respond.

"This is about Inferno, isn't it."

Next to her, Computo swore under her breath. Seeing the grim expression on the Chief's face, she swore again.

_~Computo?~_

_Let me handle this, Imra. Tell Kid the same thing._

_~Alright.~_

Assured that she wouldn't be interrupted (by her teammates, at least), Computo got back to her feet. Erin lifted a brow, but kept his own seat, hands folded on his desk; she pressed that advantage for all it was worth. 

"You of all people can't be thinking that Dirk's behind these murders."

He shook his head.

"No, Computo, I don't. I know better than most people on New Earth what pressure the other Dirk was under, and if he were still here I'd have the same response if he were the one being attacked.  
"That doesn't change the fact that many people in many of the cities _are_ blaming him for the fires and the deaths. Inferno didn't do himself any favours when he bolted through the city in flames, no matter how much I sympathize with him for it."

As he spoke, he called up report after report on the never-ending protests throughout New Earth. Sure enough, there were protestors demanding Inferno's arrest and detainment – and worse – scattered through the usual demands for security and necessities. Computo closed her eyes, rubbed a hand across her face. Sprocking damnit, anyway.

"I'm not letting the Science Police haul Dirk off on trumped-up charges without any actual evidence, Chief. It's not going to happen –"

"Incineration – even pyrokinesis, if proven – isn't going to be enough evidence, either."

Computo shot an annoyed look at Invisible Kid; he promptly ignored it and kept right on going.

"Inferno's not even the only pyrokinetic here in New Earth, and that's setting aside the reasonable – possibly likely – odds that the fires are being set through non-meta means. And given his reaction to the Metropolis protests ..."

Kid trailed off, and Computo leapt back into the scrum.

"Given his reaction – which, might I point out, involved barricading himself in his own quarters until forcibly prodded out of them – and his on-record issues surrounding the other Dirk, _and_ that he's on monitor duty and can't exactly just up and leave without being spotted, and I can't believe I'm even having this conversation ..."

"I know. I know. But you do understand that, given the circumstances, I have no choice but to place him on the suspect list, I hope."

The Chief took in Computo's clenched fists, Invisible Kid's blank all-business expression, Saturn Girl's grim resolution, and felt a cold clammy knot of regret start to coil his innards into knots.

_Oh, they understand. Do they ever understand. But they're sure as frag not enjoying it – grife, how could they?_

_I'm going to hate myself for this later. But I'll hate myself more if I don't do it._

_Sorry, kids._

"Before you all rush my desk, let me make the statement now that I'm _not_ having Inferno taken into custody. The SP definitely does not have any evidence or cause to detain him.   
"But I _am_ going to have to ask you, Computo, as acting leader of the Legionnaires, to have him confined to Legionnaires Headquarters until the investigation is at an end. This is as much for Inferno's – for Dirk's – protection as it is for the public."

"I – no, you're right. I'll send back a holo as soon as it's official."

-*-

" _WHAT?!_ "

It was ... It was ... It was _something_ , anyway, something so maddening and unfair he could barely believe he'd heard the words. False-sparks and heatwaves radiated from Inferno, whose brilliant eyes looked more like two blue stars, he was so furious. Looming over his perch in the Monitor Room – and putting on a show of Tough Leader she was not at all feeling at the moment – Computo leaned in closer.

"You heard me, Dirk. Until the SPs find out what's going on they want you locked down here in HQ, and as much as it rots me to agree with it the Chief's got sound logic."

Her expression softened, just a little, at the look of pain and betrayal that flickered across Inferno's face before he managed to hide it.

"I know you aren't out there burning people and warehouses to cinders, Dirk. Come on, I'm not that stupid. But all it takes is one crazed son of a dirj with a blaster and a clear shot out for revenge and it's all over. _None_ of us want that, believe me." 

... This was too much; it was just – all of it – too much. Inferno slouched sidewise against the monitor console, face half-buried in his arms, and the heatwave of stress and anger disappeared so quickly Computo almost thought she felt a chill slip into the void it left behind. He just stayed there, silent and still save for the occasional quiver of a ruddy curl against his shoulders, until she was about to shake him or call for a med emergency – but as soon as she made a move towards him he lifted his head and regarded her dully, eyes hooded and voice flat.

"What does Cos have to say about it?"

"Cos is off New Earth on a mission with Ultra Boy, Triad and Livewire, which you should've remembered considering you've been the one on monitor duty.   
"... Dirk ..."

"Never mind, Computo. I'll stay put like the jerk I am. Am I still _on_ monitor duty, or have I been completely relieved of anything resembling responsibility?"

In fact, no, the Chief hadn't said anything of the sort; which was damned important, as far as Computo was concerned. Well, if it hadn't come up she wasn't going to be the one to pull it, and she highly doubted Cham would argue the point once he got back from his board meeting and she brought him up to speed –

"Chief Erin only asked for you to stay put here in HQ, nothing about being relieved of responsibility. The vast seas of monitoring where the rest of us idiots wind up can stay in your all-too-willing hands as long as you want it."

It was a weak attempt at humour, but Inferno took it at its face value. If it wasn't quite a faint smile he managed, it was something at least related.

"Thanks, Danielle. ... Keep me updated, at least?"

"Of course. Don't forget to sleep and eat, Dirk, okay? We'll get to the bottom of this."

-*-

"... – Inferno? Dirk, that can hardly be a comfortable sleeping position for any sensible humanoid being –"

A gentle voice – who? – eased into his consciousness accompanied by an equally gentle, but insistent, shaking of his shoulder. Fuzziness started to fade, reality – instead of burning blood red and flesh-charred nightmare – started to creep back in ... and Inferno jolted bolt upright in his seat, flailing against horrors already impossible to remember. Just out of arm's reach was Kid Quantum, concern clear in his dark eyes.

"Dirk, are you alright ...?"

Bloody grife. Asleep at the monitors, just great.

"No, I'm not alright. I s'pose you heard about my house arrest while I was –"

Inferno's gesture took in the Monitor Room, his seat and his own rumpled self all at the once, Kid Quantum chuckling quietly at his look of wry disgust with himself for falling asleep; but for all that, the concern never left his teammate's face.

"I did, and I was wondering if you wanted to talk about it."

"I –"

"And if you would rather not, well, that's also fair. We've all had our things we never wanted to talk about, after all."

Without invitation, Kid Quantum folded himself into an adjacent chair. His self-deprecating smile undid any sting in his comment; he of all Legionnaires certainly knew about keeping secrets.

"And, even if not, I want to tell you that I know, I know very well, that you have nothing to do with these events. You're a good person, Dirk; I don't know what happened before New Earth, I don't know what those protestors were accusing you of save for the very vaguest of details, and I want to say to you that it does not matter."

Kid's voice was somehow soft and steely all at once; some irreverent part of Inferno's mind wondered if he could learn that trick.

"I saw you, many of us saw you, when we were in Paris, Dirk. How much you were outraged; how you befriended, defended, that poor Elian who was being attacked by that mob. How you found a safe place for her to live."

"Yeah, well, that's certainly come back to bite me, hasn't it."

Inferno's bitter retort provoked a sigh, and a rueful smile.

"It's to their loss, if they insist on letting their own pain and fears lead them to hate. We're here to show them a better way, all of us.  
"Suppose we just talk about other, inconsequential things for a while, then – before you go sleep before you imprint the console into your face again? Maybe tell me about your friend from the Atlantis dome? Keiki, isn't it? She was asking about you – she seems a nice girl."

A flicker of devilishness raced across Inferno's face. 

"Only if you tell me what all that was with you and Cos, man –"

-*-

Shrieks of agony echoing through the darkened streets of Cairo alerted the SP patrol – but it was the flare of fire that brought them screaming through the air, speeder banking hard around obstructing buildings.

Brought them too late, as two more victims collapsed in cinders and black bone and a flaming figure – humanoid, male, shaggy-haired and traced in flame-designs beneath his corona of true fire – plunged through a hatchway and into the tunnels below the dome. 

By the time the SPs could land, there was no trace.

-*-

By the time Kid Quantum had, laughing quietly, declared himself fit for a nap or three and taken himself off to his quarters for exactly that (after extracting a promise of the same out of his conversation partner), Inferno was almost willing to say he was feeling a bit better about life. He certainly had a revelation or two to chew on, anyway!

 _James and Rokk, huh? Thought I saw that, but it's good to have confirmation straight from the source. Huh, I wonder what Garth thinks of it ... assuming he ever notices._

_Wonder if I should say something – nah, let him figure it out. I wonder if Imra knows ..._

There was nothing like puzzling over love-lives for a distraction, especially for Inferno. Unfortunately said distraction lasted only as long as it took to get himself washed and thrown into bed; then the crawling horrors started to creep back into his mind again.

But this time he was ready to fight back. Kid Quantum had given him more to think over than who might be dating who.

His desklight threw weird shadows on the ceiling; he watched them flicker and dance as he turned over his half-baked thoughts and theories. He knew he had nothing to do with the murders. The trick was convincing all those people who thought otherwise.

_Which means I have to get out of here, because I can't convince them while I'm trapped like some verm. I think I have an out, but ... okay, Dirk, backtrack. There's no sense making escape plans if you don't know what you're going to do once you get out there._

_... What I need to do is manage to get to a crime scene while the crime's still happening. Arson's probably better, just in case ... Which means what I need are arrival times and places for the convoys. It won't be any dome with damaged spaceports, I can scratch those off the list right away –_

Frag sleep. He was up and out of bed in an eyeblink, tapping away at his desk terminal before his behind contacted his chair. They'd locked him in HQ but _not_ out of the Legionnaires computer net, and Legionnet connected with the Earthgov and SP systems ...

_There!_

Departure and arrival schedules scrolled merrily up the holoscreen. In a window alongside, he called up the Legionnaires' files on the arsons and the murders.

_Let's see if I can't find some kind of connection ..._

-*-

Hours later, he had that connection. The deaths seemed random, or at least there was no pattern to them that he could find. But the arson cases, now; those, those were a different thing altogether. All of the arriving shipments, burned or raided – and grife, was he glad he'd thought to add the raids into the algorithm – had one thing in common; so did the untouched convoys. And oh, how he was kicking himself for not having seen the connection before.

_I'm going to get you for this, you smug bastard. You aren't slipping away this time._

But first, he had a commcall to make. 

_Here's hoping the folks at Terra-Ark haven't bought into the same nass that half New Earth did._

-*-

Much to Inferno's relief (for so many different reasons), the staff of the Terra-Ark group home had not, in fact, believed any such thing; when he'd gingerly inquired just in case, for that matter, he'd promptly been treated to a no-nonsense lecture about how no, Terra-Ark firmly believed in second chances and yes that means everyone, young man, and you aren't the same individual to begin with, obviously, and you're making your own choices so why would there be any such thing?

Not willing to press his good fortune and bring up the fires, Inferno took the lesson in the good faith it was offered and waited until the staffer was finished before asking to speak with their Dominator ward, if she wasn't otherwise occupied.

_[Rizza? She'll be overjoyed to hear from you again!]_

This time Inferno's chair-slouch was out of pleased surprise.

"She's picked a name? That's great!"

_[She has, and she's right proud of it, as well she should be. Just give me a micro, Inferno, and I'll transfer the comm –]_

_[Inferno? Is it you?]_

The rolling, hissing accent was unmistakable, even after the switch from Interlac to Elian.

"Hi, Rizza! You've picked a great name!"

_[Do you think so? It took so long to decide ... I'm glad you like it, Inferno, very glad. The people here think the same thing. It is ... it is nice, to hear it from so many people.]_

"And never think that you don't deserve it, either, because you do. Sounds like you're comfortable at Terra-Ark?"

_[Oh, yes. The staff understand, and even most of the other dormers are friendly. The ones that stay away ... well, I can't really blame them. Not after what my people did to them ...]_

"Those aren't your people anymore, Rizza."

So began a long, rambling conversation that lasted until Terra-Ark staff broke into the comm channel and gently but firmly reminded them both that it was halfway through the night and sleep was required by all sapients. Laughing, Inferno apologized and said goodbye to Rizza, but not before offering her a tour of Legionnaires headquarters late the next afternoon – "I need to stay here, but I can definitely show you everything while I'm here!" – an offer she happily accepted. 

It was with a considerably lightened heart – and a grimly determined smile – that Inferno finally climbed back into bed. There was no doubt in his mind that when he shared his plan with Rizza she'd leap at the chance to finally put her ultimate tormenter behind bars.

And the next supply convoy was due to arrive next evening, right there in Metropolis.

-*-

One whirlwind tour later, and Inferno and his guest were perched in front of his personal little slice of Legionnaire annoyance – aka the monitors – kono juices in hand.

"It's so busy here, and your Legionnaires have you watching their own comings and goings rather than taking part ..."

All the way through HQ, from the Monitor Room to the gym and the meeting room and dorms and everything else, then back again, and Rizza had finally found the nerves to ask Inferno just why he was mewed up in the garish building instead. Great timing on her part, as far as Inferno was concerned; it saved him trying to think up a way to broach the subject.

"Science Police request, as a matter of fact. You've probably heard about the fires, and what's been happening ...?"

Rizza's black eyes glistened wetly as a hiss of dismay escaped.

"The fires, and the deaths – they don't think that you –"

"They aren't saying it, but there's enough people out there stirring up problems about me that I'm under house arrest. I don't like it but I'll admit getting my head blown off by someone thinking I'm the killer is not my idea of a good time. But, Rizza, look at this –"

A few swift taps and his own network node lit up one screen; Inferno called up his analyses of the fires and the shipping schedules and was rewarded with Rizza's gasp of understanding.

"St. Maixent –!"

"Exactly. I don't know why he's doing this unless he's gone completely unhinged, but the pattern fits. And if I find whoever his murdering lackey is, and _stop_ them, then we can get him out of power before more people get killed, and Paris' people can get a better leader, someone who won't be encouraging lynch mobs in the streets."

He didn't get the chance to ask her to teleport him – or phase him or however her power worked – out of the building; Rizza had set her drink down on the desktop, grabbed one of his hands in both of hers.

"I'll get you there. Tell me when and where and I will get you there. This _needs_ to stop."

_Atta girl!_

Inferno's smile matched the gleam in his star-blue eyes.

"See that last scheduled arrival at the West Metropolis Spaceport? I think that's the next one. Can you move me from here to there, say for ten minutes after the registry says the ships're unloaded?"

"Done. And then?"

Inferno swiveled his seat towards his console and started typing.

"Then you get ready to give the Legionnaires the message I'm programming in, because as soon as HQ registers that I'm gone they'll go nuts. And tell them we're taking down St. Maixent once and for all."

-*-

Metropolis Spaceport was a busy spot, even in the dead hours of the evening – which meant, once he'd surfaced and set one staging house aflame, he was surrounded by screaming, stampeding human sheep. And now it would be two _fewer_ sheep. Lashing out with waves of burning plasma, he engulfed two fleeing dockworkers before they'd even gotten out from under the warehouse's shadow.

Two down, so very many left to go; what a shame it was that he was running out of options to indulge himself now. That damned Parisian was barely giving him the ability to _think_. Did the man sleep with the transmitter in his hand?

Oh, but once he finally slipped his bonds, the Parisian would be burning slowly at his hand, oh yes. And wouldn't that be infinitely more sweet than these drab and mewling things? And then, then, he'd take control of the damned city and the world, the world would burn and grovel at his command, one death for every slight, every bruise, every miserable moment inside that devil's prison.

Howling with laughter, he stalked away to loft into the air and rain firey damnation down onto a second warehouse, a burning brand of hate and power; to curvette back through an alley, arc up again and pause to admire his handiwork –

For a moment the air seemed to shimmer darkly; he dismissed it as a mirage of his own heat and flames, inconsequential, and turned away.

" _YOU –!!_ "

A heartbeat later a human comet of burning fury plowed him clear out of the 'sky'.

-*-

Being told the Legionnaires would 'go nuts' was one thing; being surrounded by nearly a half-dozen yelling, waving, pacing, panicking figures in brightly coloured uniforms was quite another. Frozen with fear, Rizza curled up in her seat in the Monitor Room and wrapped her arms around her head –

_~Hold it!~_

The telepathic command brought stunned silence in its wake. Alchemist and Kid Quantum hovered close to Rizza; Apparition within an arm's-length, Catspaw and Dragonmage taking a cautious few steps towards Saturn Girl as she stalked into the room. She ignored them all, her attention on the terrified Dominator.

_~You're Rizza, aren't you? I saw you with Inferno earlier this afternoon.~_

_I ... yes._

Saturn Girl took a deep breath, waving the others away. Rizza was confused and afraid, and she needed to defuse that and fast. She also needed an answer, and faster.

_~Did you teleport him out of HQ?~_

_... Yes. He programmed a message for the Legionnaires, at that station there._

The station in question was pointed out by a shaking lemon-yellow hand, and as Saturn Girl padded over to call up whatever idiocy Inferno left behind Rizza took the gamble. She didn't want to be arrested, and she wanted Inferno in trouble even less –

"Legionnairrrrres! Lisssten!"

_Curse my weak Interlac –_

"Lissten to me! We know the firrrre source! Inferrrno is gone to stop it! No time to tell you!"

A second silence fell over the room like a hammerblow. Alchemist was the first to react, looking to Saturn Girl for an answer.

"Imra?"

"I'm telling Computo now. Okay, Rizza, that message checks out; there's no way you know his codes _and_ his writing tics. Now, can you get _us_ there?"

-*-

_Who the sprock is this psychopath?!_

Inferno had arrived in mid-air, surrounded by smoke and burning buildings and screaming people – people whose screams had only intensified once they saw him, and then they ran even faster –

_No, damnit –!_

Then he'd seen the son of a dirj, flying, flaming, laughing as he looped around, saw the bastard priming for a blast at fleeing workers, and there was no time for anything else. Now he needed to scrape himself off the pavement before the murderer he just drove into the ground shook off the impact –

A burning fist slammed into his face and sent him nearly reeling. 

"Look at the charming infant Sun Boy come to fight with his better. Should I be flattered?"

Black spots danced in front of his eyes; Inferno shook them off by sheer will, squaring off against his tormenter, the cities' murderer, Maixent's left hand, whatever he was. But the other was already airborne again, and with a sickening lurch of his gut Inferno took in the brilliant blood-flame corona, the long coiling hair, the skinsuit with the flame patterning. Maybe it was ...

Maybe it _was_ him. Another Dirk Morgna ...

_It can't be the other one, he was – there wasn't even skin left – they said he was euthanized – Circe, she –_

The boom of crumbling, burning buildings, the screams of bystanders stabbed through Inferno's shock like a blade through his skull. That madman, whoever he was, was _herding_ them, he was drawing the blazes right across the spaceport, all those people were going to be trapped between waves of flame –

"You need to run! Go go GO!"

"Inferno!" "Morgna –" "You –" "But you're – aren't you –?"

"Just _DO IT !_ "

_How do I stop him, I can't get everywhere at once –_

Airborne again, Inferno zoomed closer, ignoring the confused cries of the people below as he passed over them, dodging the firebolts launched almost casually by the madman drawing the firewaves ever higher.

_Wait. I got it!_

_Time to fight fire with fire –_

He poured on speed, nearly colliding with the cold outer hull of the spaceport's edge before pulling back at a backbreaking angle and speeding ever faster directly between – and above – the onrushing walls, pouring his own sunfire in twin blasts along the crazed and buckled pavements as he went; firebreaks hard against the murderer's flames, enough to slow them down, enough to give everyone the chance to run –

"I will _gut_ you, runt."

A firestorm erupted around him.

-*-

_~Okay, everyone, here's what we're going to do.~_

West Metropolis Spaceport was a madhouse. People were running, people were screaming and scrambling into the handful of buildings untouched by the rapidly spreading conflagration; blood and fire and smoke were everywhere. Saturn Girl steeled herself, hardened her mental shielding to proverbial inertron, and dove onward into hell. Computo was counting on her to keep the team coordinated while she met up with the SP dispatch.

_~Alchemist, Dragonmage, you're on fire nullification duty; same as the last time, it's just bigger. Kid Quantum, I need you to get in there where the civilians are and drop a stasis zone on any flames that're an immediate danger. Catspaw, guide everyone who can get there towards the dome gates. Apparition, you're on building check.~_

Saturn Girl winced inwardly for the necessity of that last.

_Sorry, Tinya._

_~Brainiac 5, you're with Apparition. If she finds someone, get there and get them out if your forcefield can manage. Andromeda, you're with me.~_

The Legionnaires scattered into the wildfires, and Andromeda glanced at Saturn Girl. 

"And what're we doing?"

"We're going after _them_."

Saturn Girl pointed towards the domed ceiling, where two incandescent figures were trying to tear each other apart.

-*-

"I don't need to burn you to slaughter you, Sun Boy."

A rake to his kidneys came on the heels of that snarled threat; this time Inferno dodged, ignoring the eye that was swelling shut – blood drops sizzling in the heat – and the definitely broken ribs. He was smiling through the pain; the monster he was launching a snap kick at was just as battered as he was.

_And you look nothing like me either, you sprocking psycho._

His blow also missed; his ankle was grabbed and before the wind could even start to whistle he knew he was going to be thrown –

_I don't think so._

– and, let fly, reversed direction with his ring and wrapped himself around his adversary's torso, clamping both hands around the sinewy neck. And started to squeeze.

"Give up. Give it up."

"... You –"

Panicked hands clawed at his arms, tore through his suit, drew beads of burning blood; the madman kicked and choked, Inferno wavering in the air as another rib gave way at the least under the onslaught. Reflexively he lashed out with his own fires even as he realized he was actually starting to _burn_ from the murdering dirj's flame –

_I don't care._

Dimly, he could hear someone shouting; heard Saturn Girl in his mind, but couldn't make out what she said. Somewhere there were claxons wailing ... the Science Police? 

_Just need to hang on 'til he's under ... that's all ..._

"This is for everyone ... you've killed.   
"And everyone who needs to suffer ... because of you ... and your bastard leader St. Maixent –!"

Blackness rushed in; and still Inferno did not let free his grip.

The last he was aware of was the rush of air as they plummeted together.

-*-

"Imra, did you hear that – he said 'St. Maixent'!"

Andromeda didn't wait for a response, rocketing towards the falling pair faster than Saturn Girl dared to attempt inside a dome. Inferno and – whoever that was – were both limp and descending fast. She swore – Mother-god, what if Inferno died? What if he'd actually _killed_ that arsonist? What if –

Two heartbeats. She heard two heartbeats.

Slowing scant lengths below, she surged up to catch them, Saturn Girl's exclamation ringing in her head:

_~I didn't hear it, but I caught the same thing from his thoughts – rings of Saturn, I'll never feel clean again. Chief Erin is going to want to know about this. So is President Stewart.~_

_Yeah, well, I see the Chief down below. Meet you there?_

-*-

Chief Erin was indeed front and centre in the middle of the SP rescue and recovery teams; alerted by Computo, he wasn't missing this fallout for anything in New Earth. Which was just as well, once Andromeda landed with her twin burdens. Medics swarmed to take the pair away, leaving the Chief to push his way through – how did Inferno of all people wind up burned? – but once he had, he could do nothing but stare.

"Grife, that's _Sun Emperor_ –!"

It was like a bomb was set off beneath every SP officer present. In moments Sun Emperor was restrained and null-collared even while a medical team converged on him. Saturn Girl and Andromeda left the Chief to his horrible revelation for the moment; Andromeda eased Inferno onto a waiting mediunit, while Imra brushed her fingers as lightly as possible across his reddened, bruised forehead.

_~You did it, Dirk. You stopped him.~_

-*-

"... So you're telling me that psychotic freak was a member of the Legion of Super-Villains? What the _nass_. Must be after 'our time' or something."

His voice may have been more of a croak, but Inferno was capable of expressing flat surprise at least. Right that moment 'flat' anything was about all he could muster; in the depths of the convalescent bed, his hair was the only spot of colour to be seen. Even his eyes looked dull. Despite that, the wry smile that graced his battered face told Cosmic Boy that Dirk was starting to come around a bit.

"He was, yeah. I'll jump right to the more important piece of news, though – you and your friend were right. This Sun Emperor was setting the fires for St. Maixent, literally _for_ him."

Cos paused for a moment, prompting Inferno to squint at him suspiciously. It was just so bizarre a modification, it took him a little to wrap his head around the whole thing.

"The SP med teams found a chipped stirrup-system implanted in his skull. St. Maixent was controlling him like he was a drone; a thinking drone that was happy to cause as much pain as possible, but still a drone.  
"The tech's untracable and St. Maixent's not talking, though, so no one has a clue where he actually found Sun Emperor in the first place. The SP is taking what it can get, basically."

"... What about the other murders ...?"

A sigh.

"That no one's sure of. Sun Emperor laughed the questions off, Chief Erin says that's not surprising. We'll never know, most likely. But hey –"

A glimmer of high humour lit up Cos' face as he plunked an Omnicom onto the side of the bed.

"You did it, Dirk. You saved dozens of people and the rest of the convoy, not counting what and who might've been future victims. The SP scraped enough evidence from the stirrup-system and Sun Emperor's surface thoughts to strip St. Maixent of power and get _him_ in prison where he belongs. And the best of it –"

Cos paused again, smiling impishly, and Inferno scowled at him. Come on with it already.

"– The best of it is that all of New Earth's heard about how you threw yourself at that lunatic.  
"Congratulations, Dirk, you're New Earth's hero."


End file.
